Goodbye
by jacobaaustin
Summary: After a hunting accident causes the Pack to lose one of their own, the Pack must learn to live without them. Sterek.
1. Don't Let Me Go

Don't Let Me Go

The moon shone through the window and illuminated Allison's face. Scott climbed into bed next to her and she rolled into his arms.

"Mmmm."

"What?" Scott asked.

"You're warm." she giggled. "As always."

The air was humid. He didn't want her to be too hot.

"I could move over if you-"

"No." Allison's words cut through the room like a shout. Scott worried she would wake his mother.

Mrs. McCall had been working double overtime and Scott didn't want to wake her after half-heartedly agreed to allow Allison to stay with Scott as long as the door remained open at all times. No exceptions. There was plenty of time to fool around when they were alone, so they had no problems with this rule.

Allison curled further into Scott's arms.

"Don't let me go."

"Mmmm," Scott was at a loss for words so he made the only sound he could.

He never wanted to let her go.

He was perfectly happy with holding her in his arms forever.

The next morning, it was a Pack outing.

Scott hated them because he always had to deal with Jackson. Whether he liked it or not Jackson was now part of the Pack and they had to get along. If it weren't for Stiles coming along Scott would have gone nuts with only Derek to talk to. Allison had Lydia to keep her company so all they did was girl talk which annoyed the Alpha.

The entire pack was now gathered outside the Hale house.

"What are we doing here?" asked Jackson.

Derek gave him a grave look.

"There's some hunters looking for us."

"And by us, you mean…" Lydia never received such a dangerous look that she couldn't return for fear of having her throat ripped out. "Us. Okay." she finished.

"I don't know who they are," Derek continued. "But they're looking for werewolves. And someone tipped them off that I'm the Alpha."

Jackson was confused.

"Then why are we here? Isn't the Hale house werewolf HQ?"

Derek felt safe in his home. It was the most familiar territory he had and enabled him to hold the upper hand at all times. He knew the house like the back of his hand. He knew the terrain of the Hale property just as well. He ignored Jackson and continued.

"We need to make sure that each of us is safe. These hunters aren't known for the code and that's why we need to stick together for the time being. Especially the humans."

Stiles, Allison and Lydia looked at each other.

"Why us?" Stiles hadn't spoken the entire time. His words rang through the hall and reverberated back to him and then he understood. They'd use the humans as bait to get to the rest of the pack.

"So it's agreed. We're all staying here until this matter is resolved."

Derek took Allison aside because she came from a family of Hunters and they could attempt to reason with them better than the Pack could. He had her contact her father and warn him about the hunters coming into their territory and explained their current situation.

Mr. Argent, Allison's father, was the current leader of the Hunters of Beacon Hills. They followed a strict code. Hunt those who hunt us. And for the past few months, the wolves and the hunters remained at peace. The new hunters could force the hand of the Pack if not dealt with using extreme caution.

_Snap_.

The werewolves of the Pack all perked up.

"Wha-?"

Lydia's words were cut off by the sound of a gun shot ringing through the forest.

Allison screamed, which prompted Lydia to do the same. All of the Pack was now alert and waiting for something to happen.

And something did.

Derek looked at Allison and quickly grabbed her before she fell to the ground.

The smell brought the other wolves to the room, quickly followed by Stiles and Lydia.

Allison had been shot.

"Call an ambulance!" Scott shouted.

Blood was now flowing from her wound.

The bullet entered through her back and barely exited her stomach.

Scott threw Derek from Allison and applied pressure to her wounds the best he could.

"Scott…" her voice was faint.

"Allison!" Scott yelled. "Hang on, help is coming."

"I'm cold." said Allison.

Scott looked to Derek and Derek shook his head.

There was too much blood loss. The Bite would kill her.

"No!" Scott's eyes filled with tears. He pulled her in close and held her tight.

"Please, Scott." Allison pleaded. "Don't let me go. I'm not ready."

Her words were now dry and very weak.

"Please. Don't let me…" Allison's voice trailed as her eyes closed.

She was dead.


	2. Licking Our Wounds

Licking Our Wounds

Allison's body was placed on the stretcher and then lifted into the ambulance as the Pack watched.

Most of the Pack anyways.

Scott, in a fit of rage, shifted and went wild shortly before the medic team arrived. Derek the Alpha ordered Scott to leave before anyone saw him. Scott fled deep into the woods, but still close enough to hear the sound of the ambulance doors close.

The remaining Pack members stood and watched as the ambulance pulled away and heard a deep howl from the forest.

It had been about an hour before anybody dared move.

Nobody had the power to do so. They all froze on the spot as Allison- no, Allison's body- was placed in the ambulance.

Allison was no longer with them.

No longer one of them.

No longer alive.

She was gone.

Derek's shirt was stained with her blood. He could smell what remained of her life on him. He wished to remove the clothes as soon as he could, but he didn't want to say goodbye to her scent.

To her.

She may not have been his mate, but she was Scott's. Either way, she was just as much a Pack member as Scott or Jackson. Same went with Stiles and Lydia, who remained immobile even after Derek had moved to go inside.

Derek went up to his bedroom and began to undress.

He tossed his clothes on the floor and went to the bathroom to shower off the blood that remained on his body.

Lydia and Stiles remained on the porch after Jackson wandered into the forest in search of Scott. He was fully alert for a rampaging werewolf. He needed to be if he was going to approach him.

He wasn't used to controlling his werewolf senses at will like Scott and Derek were, but he had to try if he was going to track down his Pack brother.

Jackson closed his eyes and listened. Listened to the sound of the wind blowing in his ears. The sound of leaves rustling. The sound of the deer about one hundred yards to his left. The sound of the chipmunk scurrying just beyond that. Beyond that, he heard the sound of an enraged Scott, panting.

He took of in Scott's direction. Jackson met him sooner than he thought as Scott was headed his way as well.

The wolf had taken over and didn't care whether or not Jackson was a Pack brother or the hunter who shot Allison. Killed Allison.

The wolf wanted revenge.

"Whoa, dude!" Jackson yelled. "I'm here to help you."

The voice Scott heard didn't belong to Jackson. It was distorted and raw. And the words coming from Jackson's mouth didn't translate the way he said it. The wolf didn't understand. It was as if Jackson was speaking a foreign language.

Jackson shifted as fast as he could and continued to attempt communication with Scott. His previous attempts had failed, so he figured the wolf in him may have better luck.

The wolf had completely taken over Scott in his rage.

It wanted to kill.

It wanted revenge.

Scott swung his claws at the man in front of him. He wanted to hurt him.

The man before him shifted and revealed his electric blue eyes to Scott's amber eyes.

He was a wolf.

"Scott, I know you're in there."

What was this? Some kind of trick? How did he know Scott?

"You gotta come back to us."

Scott swung at him.

Jackson knew it wasn't going to take more than conversation to stop Scott in this mood.

Jackson faked going to the left and then to the right. He ran to the left and wrapped his arms around Scott in order to subdue him.

"Calm down, Scott."

The wolf tried wrestling free from Jackson's grip.

A voice rang through the forest.

"ENOUGH!"

The sound echoed through the forest.

Stiles and Lydia jumped at it.

They didn't know what to make of the noise, but fled inside in case it was a hunter looking to spill more blood.

Lydia, always dressed to impress, walked to the stairs, click-clacking along in her new shoes.

"You're awful quiet today."

"Right back at you." Stiles said.

Stiles sat next to Lydia on the stairs. They sat in silence until Lydia heard Stiles sniff.

"What?"

Stiles could speak.

For the first time in his life, he was speechless.

"Did you two even talk much? She never really mentioned you unless it was in regards to Scott."

Lydia always had a way of coming off rude when she spoke.

"Not really." Stiles choked on his words. "But she did help me with quite a bit when it came time for me to take care of stuff."

"Like coming out?"

"Yeah." he responded with hears in his eyes. "She was the only one who… The only."

Stiles reached his limit.

Lydia reached into her purse and pulled out a couple tissues. One for him and one for her.

"You're crying?"

She slapped him.

"Yes, Stiles. I am crying." she said pointedly. "You may think I'm a heartless bitch because that's how I come off to everyone but I do have a heart!" Stiles always had bad timing.

"You're like the Tin Man."

Lydia stormed off. Stiles knew what he had said was wrong. It was inappropriate to joke so soon after watching a Pack member, and a friend die. But that's how Stiles coped. He didn't know any better.

The wrestling werewolves froze on point at the voice.

"You two will stop right now." the voice belonged to the Alpha.

He stood in the forest wearing nothing but the bloodstained jeans he had on when they took Allison away.

His eyes glowed pure crimson. It was the Alpha speaking. Not Derek.

The wolves backed off each other and shifted back to normal.

"There are hunters out here and you two choose to do this?"

Jackson looked at the ground, ashamed of himself.

Scott looked Derek dead on, straight into his red eyes.

"I get it." Derek's eyes turned back to their normal green. "You loved her. You lost her. We all did. It wasn't just you Scott. And if you would have continued on like you were, you could have been found and shot, too."

"I don't care." Scott said, his eyes turning amber. "I'll go down fighting if I have to, but nobody else is going to die."

"You will do as you're told or else, Beta."

This was the first time Derek had referred to him as 'Beta' rather than by his name.

"Get back to the house. We've got to go to the hospital."


	3. Alone With You

Alone With You

It wasn't the first time that any of them were in a hospital waiting room. But this time was different for most of them.

Stiles had been here once before.

When his mother died, his father had him wait in the waiting room for over an hour before coming to tell him about his mother.

He stared into the waiting room, afraid to enter with the rest of the Pack. All of the memories associated with that tragic day came flooding back. Derek saw the look on his face. Derek didn't know about Stiles mother. He didn't really know anything about Stiles, really. The only times they had spent together were when they had to investigate information regarding the Alpha, who turned out to be Peter.

Stiles froze in the door way to the waiting room, staring off into space.

Derek smelled fear.

Stiles blinked and sniffed.

Derek rose from his feet and motioned for Jackson and Lydia to stay put. Scott was with his mother and Allison's body, waiting for the Argents to arrive.

"Stiles," Derek's voice was soft. "Come with me."

Stiles stood on the spot he was frozen on as Derek rounded the corner and finally moved to follow him. They made their way to a deserted hallway near a storage closet near the elevator to the upper floors.

"Are you okay?"

_What kind of question was that?_ thought Derek. Why was he being asked how he felt when that's why he brought Stiles here?

"I was just about to ask you the same question." stated Derek.

"Oh, really?"

Stiles couldn't believe that Derek of all people would be asking him how he was feeling. Derek was usually cold and distant; his voice deep and rough. But this Derek was soft and caring.

"Why would you care?" asked Stiles. It was the wrong question to ask.

Derek let out a low growl. Of course he cared.

The growl let Stiles know that this was no time for jokes. It was time to be serious.

"My mom."

"What about her?" Derek asked softly.

"This was the hospital."

Derek didn't know this was the same hospital she died in. He knew she had past away, but didn't realize.

"You don't have to stay here." said Derek. His voice was caring. Which was strange for Stiles to hear. He was so used to having Derek bark orders at him. "We can call you when we leave."

"No, I wanna stay." Stiles thoughts rapidly took over. "Why are you being so nice to me? Normally you're grumpier than the dwarf. But now you're acting like we're friends."

Derek cared about everyone in his pack. Whether they realized it or not, he did.

Derek didn't know how to talk to Stiles unless it involved ordering him around. Caring about Stiles was new.

"I care." It was all Derek could say.

Being alone with Derek made Stiles feel oddly safe. There were no distractions. Just them.

A scent hit Derek's nose. He couldn't place what it was. But it was pleasant.

Back in the waiting room Jackson and Lydia waited for Scott to arrive.

Shortly after arriving, Lydia said she was going to go look for a vending machine with acceptable chocolate and that she would call the Argents again.

Scott and Jackson were alone.

Jackson could smell the fury pouring off of him.

Even though the were being civil now, Jackson knew that Scott would lash out at him again eventually.

It wasn't anything Scott was proud of. He knew that he had attacked a friend, a brother, but it wasn't totally his fault. Part of him wanted revenge and the wolf knew how to do it. Scott had more control over the wolf inside him than Jackson did. He was bitten long before Jackson was, but it didn't mean that Scott was immune to the effects of the wolf, even without the moon's sway.

They sat in silence waiting for Lydia to return with snacks, drinks, and possibly the Argents.

But she never came.

They were alone together.

Alone.

Scott was now alone.

It was hitting him harder than anything.

The more Scott thought about Allison's death and his current state, the stronger the scent of rage became.

Jackson reached over and placed a calming hand on Scott's shoulder. The wolf in Scott didn't want the hand. It wanted to be left alone.

But Scott wanted it.

Scott needed it.

He felt safe. Even with all of his werewolf abilities, he felt safe. Sane. As if the wolf would never break free and take over again. Jackson always had a way of commanding those around him without words, or even looks. They just followed him. And Scott was now in the mood to let anyone take control as long as it wasn't the wolf.

"Thanks."

"It's going to be okay, Scott." Jackson hated to be cliché about things, but it was true. "You're not the only one who lost her. She was a great friend to all of us." Feelings began to well up in Scott. Tears formed at the edge of his eyes. "We'll get through this together. I promise."

Scott lifted his hand and placed on the one Jackson had on his shoulder.

Lydia stood in the hall holding the drinks and snacks she brought back.

Even without wolf senses, she knew something was going on.


	4. Preparations

Preparations

Funeral arrangements seemed never ending. He went through them not too long ago for his sister, Kate.

Chris Argent still saw his daugther, his precious Allison, laying on the metal slab in the morgue. Even after hours after seeing her.

His wife had met him in the hospital parking lot. Her hands gripped the steering wheel. It took him opening her door for her to realize he was there. Knocking on the window hadn't helped.

Victoria turned her head slowly to her husband with tear filled eyes. They just lost Kate. It may have been two months ago, but the would was still fresh. The look they shared before Chris reached in to remove Victoria's hands from the steering wheel was one of great grief. They knew that that feeling wouldn't disappear any time soon. They were merely preparing themselves for what was coming. The best they could anyways.

The walk to the sliding hospital doors was one of the longest they had ever taken.

They were greeted at the door by Lydia, who was holding a bunch of snacks and beverages.

"Mr. and Mrs. Argent!" her shocked tone reached Jackson and Scott. They bolted upright and went to the source of the sound.

"Lydia." said Victoria softly. Her voice cracked as she spoke her next words. "Where is she?"

Lydia's eyes, which were already red and puffy, began to water once again.

Down the hall, Derek and Stiles made their way back to the waiting room and were met by the rest of the Pack and the Argents. Mr. Argent gave Derek a dirty look. The dirtiest. His breathing became more rough and his heart rate increased.

"No." Derek said stiffly. "We had nothing to do with this."

"Then what happened?"

"We were at the house." Lydia began. She felt her voice would be the most trusting to the Argents. "Derek was trying to protect us from this. That's why we were there. Derek knew and tried saving us from being hurt. And then…" Her voice trailed off into whines and tears.

"Protect you from what?" Victoria asked.

"Hunters." Stiles finally found his voice for the first time since arriving at the Hale home. "Derek caught wind of a group of rogue hunters like," Mr. Argent gave him a dirty look, too. "Th-th-they were after Derek." Stiles looked around at all of his friends. "All of us."

Mr. and Mrs. Argent knew about Packs. And for the most part trusted Derek not to sway Allison to dark deeds. He did, after all, stop the previous, murderous Alpha.

Chris took Derek into the waiting room to speak with him about the hunters while his wife took to asking the nurses station about Allison.

They had do identify her body.

Stiles eyed Derek as he walked away. He was still shocked at his sincerity and caring voice.

Lydia eyed Jackson as he followed Scott and Mrs. Argent to the nurses station. She knew something was up but couldn't place her finger on it.

Victora waited at the station with Scott and Jackson for about five minutes when Derek and Chris exited the waiting room.

"Come on, Victoria."

His invitation was for his wife, and his wife alone.

"What happened in there?" asked Stiles.

Derek looked at the Pack and told them that they were leaving. He didn't give an explanation as to why they were leaving. He just ordered them to go to the Stilinksi's.

Mr. and Mrs. Argent walked down the hall towards the morgue wing of the hospital. Chris turned and looked at Derek, who was staring at them.

Derek gave a nod to Chris, turned, and walked away.

It had been three hours since they had identified their daughter's body. They spent a short amount of time in the hospital after doing so, but it felt as if they spent hours there. The medical examiner explained that the bullet wound was through her back and exited through her abdomen.

The examiner told them that it was a clean shot and that whoever made it was skilled with a gun.

"I still think it's too early for all this."

"Victoria," started Chris.

"I know." she said. "We have to get it done. But that doesn't mean we can't take a breath before doing so."

Chris knew she was right, but it wasn't something he would tell her.

Running through the forest relieved some of the stress Scott felt.

Running with Jackson brought some of the stress back.

He knew the only reason Jackson followed him was because he wanted to be there in case Scott lost control again.

But Scott would make sure it wouldn't.

Not until the time was right.

And even then, there would still be enough of Scott aware of his actions to savor revenge.


	5. Derek's Hunt

Derek's Hunt

Derek didn't join the others at the Stilinski home after leaving the hospital. He had a deal to keep.

When Chris Argent arrived at the hospital, Derek feared for his pack. Not because Chris was a hunter and half his pack were wolves, but because he was father and the victim was his daughter.

Chris pulled Derek aside to make him a deal. Derek could hunt down the killer and do as he pleased with him as long as he left him fully intact and alive. For Chris.

What was the point of revenge if you couldn't savor it, make it last?

Derek wanted vengeance just as much as Chris. Allison wasn't just part of one family anymore. She had two. And they both were out for blood.

Or so Chris thought.

As much as Derek wished harm on the rogue hunter that shot Allison, he had a code to follow as well. And if he harmed him he would be violating that code. Violation of the code would allow other hunters, code-bearing hunters, to hunt him.

Chris offered Derek immunity for any crime he commits towards the hunter or hunters responsible for Allison's murder. Derek took the deal. Chris didn't need to know that he wasn't going to harm the hunter. He would leave that to Chris.

Chris insisted on exchanging numbers for when Derek located the hunter.

"I'll just deliver him to you."

"That'll be smart, Derek." Chris voice had a hit of venom in it. "Carrying or even dragging a limp body to my house. That won't attract any unnecessary attention."

Derek agreed to the number exchange and Chris left to join his wife.

Derek ordered the remaining Pack members to the Stilinski's, where they would be a bit safer under the eye of the sheriff.

Derek carried guilt with him that Allison's death was his fault.

_The were aiming for me. They wanted me dead. Not her. She was innocent._

After leaving the hospital, Derek took to the woods.

It was time to hunt.

Derek reached his home and stood on the spot Allison once stood in her final moments. Blood stained the wooden floor.

He searched the walls for an entry point, but found none.

His phone buzzed in his pocket. It was Chris.

The text read, "Clean shot. Expert."

_Not expert enough if he hit her and not me._

Derek searched any other openings possible.

The window near where he stood was still boarded up. It was smashed from the battle with Peter months ago and Derek never bothered to have it fixed as his attention was placed on fixing the more pressing parts of the house.

He looked through the only opening in the boarded up window and went outside for a general direction that the shot came from. He followed it to a scent and the scent trailed off into the deep part of the forest.

_Expert, indeed._

Derek knew full and well that any hunter that were going to kill a pack member were going to cover their tracks as best they could.

This guy didn't even try.

He was leading Derek into a trap.

The scent took him deep into the forest. Far beyond the Hale property. Wherever he was headed, he would need to be extra careful.

The scent trail ended in the middle of a clearing. Whoever this was, he ended up circling this clearing.

Out of the corner of his eye, Derek saw something move. He used his werewolf vision to view it, but it had gone behind a tree, so he ran after it.

Derek made it to the edge of the clearing to where he saw movement. There was nothing there. He saw more movement to his left and took towards it swiftly.

Was he being baited?

Derek arrived at the movement to find a doe fleeing from him.

_Damn it._ he thought.

_BANG!_

A gun shot rang through the clearing.

Derek's shoulder was in excruciating pain.


	6. Show and Tell

Show and Tell

It wasn't even three hours since Allison had been shot.

The Stilinksi residence was full.

Stiles was sitting next to the police scanner in the kitchen to listen for any new trouble.

Lydia was on the floor staring into the dark fire place.

Scott was pacing around the house. Not really doing anything, but just looked like he was keeping himself busy.

Jackson was staring off into space. His eyes may have been staring at nothing, but his ears were focused on Scott, and to the best of his ability, his nose.

He wanted to keep track of Scotts emotions. The best way to do so was to track his scent. Any change, any at all, and he'd be there.

Scott slumped himself into the open recliner near Jackson.

They had been waiting an hour for Derek to alert them to any updates, but he never called.

Stiles was beginning to worry. Derek should have let someone know what was going on.

Derek's absence rang though the Pack in the next few minutes.

Why wasn't he back?

Why hadn't he called?

Was he in trouble?

All their questions would be answered in the next few minutes as Derek knocked on the back door.

Scott and Jackson were focused on other things and, even with wolf senses, didn't hear or smell Derek. Lydia was enveloped in the lack of fire in the fire place.

Stiles ran to the door and saw a bloody Derek in the doorway.

"Dude," Stiles began before Derek collapsed on him.

Derek was pale. He'd lost a lot of blood. Stiles propped him up in a chair and ran to the kitchen sink and retrieved the medical box underneath. The rest of the Pack were still oblivious to Derek's arrival or Stiles' frantic movements.

Stiles removed Derek's leather coat and exposed his grey tank top which had been covered in blood and had two bullet holes.

Stiles opened the medic box and grabbed the rubbing alcohol to clean the wounds.

"Stiles," breathed Derek. "Not necessary."

"Are you kidding? You've been shot!"

The word "shot" rang into the living room and everyone was now alert and standing. From the living room Scott, Jackson and Lydia saw Stiles tending to Derek and were in shock. It's not that they didn't care their Alpha was injured, it was the fact that twice today people they cared about had been shot. They were frozen with fear that they would lose someone else.

"It's fine." Derek's breathing was heavy. "Really. It's not silver. I'll be fine."

Stiles was in shock. He stared at Derek's wounds.

"Not silver?" he whispered.

What happened next, nobody could have predicted.

Stiles punched Derek.

Derek rolled to the floor as Stiles cradled his hand. Punching a werewolf wasn't the best idea.

Scott motioned towards the kitchen but met Jackson's arm. It was a stiff, muscular arm, but a soft, caring arm. The look on Jackson's face read that they need to let them have it out and that Derek wasn't going to hurt Stiles.

"What the hell was that for?!"

"You." It was all stiles could say.

Derek looked at Stiles with a confused look.

"Stiles," Derek rose off the ground and held his left side where a second bullet entered. "What's the matter?" Derek's tone now was one that demanded an answer and Stiles knew that.

"You." Stiles said again. "You, jackass."

The Pack all held their breath.

"Do you have a death wish?!" Stiles voice had become raised. Derek was now holding his breath. "We go and lose Allison this morning and you go out and almost join her!"

"Stiles, it's not-"

"Don't you dare say it's not your fault!" Stiles' eyes were now red and beginning to water. "I know you, Derek. You're a smart wolf. And you knew that there was a chance this was a trap and those bullets could have been silver!" "But they-" Stiles continued with his rant.

"I don't care if they weren't. They're _hunters_, Derek. What do you think they carry? Candy canes and lollipops?! They're killers. It's what they do… It's what they did. To her."

Stiles' speech was ringing through everyone's hearts.

"Derek, I can't lose you." he said it. But it was too late. "How are we-"

"You said 'I'."

"What?" Stiles hadn't realized what he said.

Jackson, Lydia and Scott all looked at each other, confused. Should they leave them alone to sort things out, whatever they were?

Derek walked towards Stiles, staring directly into his eyes.

"You said 'I'." Derek repeated. "You said you can't lose me."

His piercing gaze never let up.

Stiles began to stutter with his words.

What was going on? Stiles was good with words. Why was he stuttering?

Derek smelled the embarrassment on him, as did Scott and Jackson.

"I-I-I…."

Derek took another step towards Stiles. Derek never broke eye contact. Stiles tried, but something about Derek's eyes had him hooked.

Stiles found a strength in him that he hadn't before. His words were soft, yet strong. "I can't lose you."

Stiles broke eye contact for a brief second and the next thing he knew Derek was inches from him. Stiles felt Derek's warm breath on his face. Derek felt nothing because Stiles stopped breathing.

Derek wrapped his right arm around Stiles waist and lifted him inches into a deep kiss.

Light gasps escaped the remaining pack member's mouths. Lydia covered hers

The kiss lasted seconds, but those seconds felt like minutes to Stiles.

The police scanner started to buzz and it startled everyone and Derek released Stiles. They all looked at the scanner and it stopped buzzing. Derek turned his gaze back to Stiles.

But he was gone and the back door was wide open.

And Derek thought he was the fast one.


	7. Simple Beginnings

Simple Beginnings

Stiles ran.

He didn't know what else to do.

He needed to get away.

It's not that the kiss he shared with Derek was bad, or unwanted. It was that it was unexpected. So much was going to be changing in the very near future and he didn't know if he could handle it. It was too much for his brain to process.

Stiles ran as far as he could and leaned against a tree and collapsed to his knees. Tears streaked his red face. He put his face into his hands and began to sob.

Losing Allison was a great loss. And the thought of losing Derek took him over the edge.

Back at the house, the Pack was staring at the open door. Still reeling from the events that happened moments ago.

Derek took out his phone and brought up Chris Argent's number.

"Not silver."

Derek sent the text.

Chris' response was almost immediate.

"Then why?"

Derek wasn't sure. He wasn't sure of anything anymore. He was informed that there were rogue hunters in the area. And "rogue" almost never meant "good".

"No idea. Still looking."

Derek tossed Jackson his phone before taking off after Stiles.

Jackson looked at the phone and the messages on the screen.

"Not silver?" he asked himself.

Scott and Lydia stood beside him now, looking at the messages.

They all asked themselves the same question Chris Argent had asked Derek.

Stiles was sitting at the base of a tree now. He twirled a leave in his hand.

Derek followed his scent to this spot. He lowered himself and sat next to Stiles.

They sat in silence.

But the silence didn't last long.

Derek didn't know what to do or what to say. He knew Stiles was upset and wanted to comfort him. So he lifted his arm up to put around Stiles' shoulders but before he got his arm around his head, Stiles rolled over into Derek and cried.

Derek held him like he was the most fragile thing in the world.

Lydia got the sense that something was up when Jackson followed Scott out of the house. She would have followed but thought it best to clean up the blood in the kitchen before Sheriff Stilinski returned home and panicked.

Jackson followed Scott into the woods, no where close to the direction Stiles and Derek headed.

"Scott, where the hell are you going?"

"You read the text, Jackson." Scott said pointedly. "Not silver."

Jackson didn't understand the meaning behind that. Their leader didn't understand it either, so how was Scott supposed to?

"That doesn't mean anything right now."

"It means something!" Scott growled.

"Look," Jackson said calmly. "I know you're upset." Scott's eyes started to glow. Upset didn't cover it in anyway. Jackson knew that. But hopefully when he finished what he had to say, things would be a bit better.

"You're not the only one that lost her. Remember? We're all friends with her. Lydia and she were best friends from the moment they met. I spent my fair share of time with you both and we got to know each other. She and Stiles had this hag thing going on, but they were close, too. We all lost her. Not just you. So stop acting like it's just you shouldering the burden of revenge."

Jackson said it. The one word on Scott's mind since the wolf took over when Allison faded away.

Revenge.

"I want to help you."

"We should go back to the house."

Stiles had found a new home in Derek's arms and he didn't want to leave. The feeling of being safe with Derek came back. Twice in one day must be a sign.

Derek stood and helped Stiles up and began walking away. Stiles grabbed Derek's hand and he stopped to turn around then pulled him in close.

"What?" Derek whispered.

"Why?"

The three letter word brought shock to Derek. He didn't think Stiles would question it.

"Why now?"

"You need comforted." Derek whispered into Stile's ear. "And it's time I showed you that I can comfort you. I can be yours if you want."

Stiles wrapped his arms around Derek's neck and pulled him in for a tight hug and whispered into his ear, "I do."

Stiles heard the grin cross Derek's face and the next thing he knew he was practically being dragged to the house.

"Wait. Wait. Wait."

"Stiles, you're cute and all, but we have to get going." Derek needed to get him home before any more bullets started flying.

"You planned this."

Derek looked a bit confused as to the "plan" part, but he knew what Stiles was talking about.

"You paired us off. Jackson and Lydia. You and me. Scott and-" Stiles couldn't say her name.

"Sort of." Derek replied.

Stiles looked at Derek waiting for an explanation, if there was one.

"I didn't plan. I hoped." Derek continued. "Yes, I paired them off. But you were different." Derek started walking, hand in hand with Stiles. "Remember the first time we met? Here in the woods? You were wearing that somewhat ironic bullseye-target shirt?"

"Yeah, we were looking for Scott's inhaler."

"Mhmm." Derek smiled. It was the first time Stiles saw him legitimately smile. "I saw you and thought you were cute. And then I found out about Scott and the rest is pretty much history."

"You thought I was cute?"

Derek stopped and pulled Stiles back in.

"Yes." he said with his lips a mere inch from Stiles'. Stiles took it upon himself to bridge the gap and kissed Derek.

"That still doesn't explain how you knew I would-"

"Well," Derek continued. "Remember when Danny came over and you used me as a pawn to get him to check phone records?"

Stiles rubbed his forehead. "Yes."

Derek kissed Stiles forehead.

The incident that Derek was referring to was when Allison received a text message from Scott saying she was to meet him at the school, which turned out to be a trick made up by Peter so Scott could kill all of his friends to join his Pack. Stiles recruited Danny to discover the source of the text message which helped to discover that Peter was the Alpha they had been searching for. To persuade Danny into helping, Stiles coerced Derek into taking off his shirt and trying on some of his own.

"I still don't…" Stiles sighed.

Derek pointed to his nose. Stiles was again confused.

"The scent." Derek stated. "Attraction was coming from Danny, yeah. But arousal was coming from you."

Stiles was somewhat embarrassed. Derek could smell when he was aroused. It made him feel violated. And somewhat turned on.

_No!_ thought Stiles as his eyes widened.

"Calm down." Derek said as he chuckled.

Derek continued to walk towards the house with Stiles in hand.


	8. The L Word

The L Word

The moon was high in the sky, illuminating the forest. Not that Jackson and Scott needed it, but it helped. They ran as fast and cautiously to the Hale property. They couldn't risk Derek knowing they were hunting.

"Is he even home?"

The incident at the Stilinski home left everyone's jaw dropped, even after hours after. Derek kissed Stiles. And Stiles didn't stop him.

They both wanted the kiss to happen. But what happened after even they didn't know what to do.

"I don't think he left Stiles' yet."

Derek stayed with Stiles so they could talk.

"Good." said Scott. He didn't want anyone stopping him.

He found the scent after making the same discoveries that Derek had earlier that day. The only difference between he and Derek was that he was going to find the guy, hopefully without getting shot.

Jackson followed Scott, both in human form until the time was necessary. They didn't want any unwanted attention. To anyone else they were just two teens in the forest at night.

Following the scent led them to the clearing in the forest where Derek was shot. Scott circled the clearing while Jackson kept his eyes and ears peeled for any oncoming people.

"Jackson!" Scott called.

Jackson jogged over to Scott.

Scott found a bullet shell.

"This smells like a trap to me." Jackson whispered, in case it was, in fact, a trap.

Scott disagreed. Why would a shell be the beginning of a trap?

Scott sniffed the air.

"This way."

Jackson followed Scott down the messy path where the scent led them.

"Why would the trail lead to hunter?" Jackson's nerves were getting to him. "Why would he leave such a trail? Dude, I don't wanna end up like-"

Scott turned quickly before Jackson could finish and interrupted him.

"Then why are you here?!" Scott's voice was booming. "Why did you come? Huh?! Are you going to answer me? Or are you just going to be annoying and whine. Allison is dead! We're not here to worry about whether or not this is a trap! There's two of us and one of him." Scott hoped there was only one. "What purpose do you have here?!"

Jackson had enough.

"Because I loved her, too!"

Scott fell silent.

"You're not the only one that lost her!"

"Wait," Scott was trying to collect himself; to understand. "You _loved_ her?"

Jackson sighed. "Not the way you did, you idiot."

Scott was still confused.

"Remember when I thought you were on drugs?" Jackson continued. "And then I discovered the werewolf thing?" Scott nodded. "How I spent all that time with her? Well, I got to know her. We bonded. We may not seem close, but we are. I told her things I couldn't even tell Lydia. She was my friend, Scott. And I'm the only one who can help you."

The way Jackson was talking was out of character. He never expressed this much emotion.

"Please," Jackson's voice was now soft. "Let me help."


	9. The Talk

The Talk

They didn't know how to begin talking about this. Stiles had never been in a relationship before, let alone with another guy. Derek was the same, except he dated, and he used that term as loosely as possible to describe his relationship with Allison's aunt, Kate Argent. This was new territory for both of them.

The house was silent. The Pack left two hours ago and Derek spent the next hour cleaning himself off in the upstairs bathroom. Stiles was confused when Derek came back downstairs in the same bloody shirt.

"I think I might have something you can wear."

_Great._ Derek thought.

The last time Stiles made him try on clothes, he ended up in clothes so tight he thought he would inhale and split the sides.

Stiles returned a minute later with a flannel button down shirt.

"I'm sorry it's not exactly your style, but it's the best I have."

Derek took off his bloody shirt and Stiles went and tossed it in his trash upstairs where his dad wouldn't see it. It would raise too many questions if he did. Stiles turned around and Derek was standing in the doorway. Derek took a step forward into Stiles' room.

"Well?" he asked, directing the question to the shirt.

"Looks good." Stiles said smiling.

Derek stepped a few feet further into the room. He looked from the bed to the chair at Stiles' computer desk.

"Uhm…" Derek didn't know where to sit and he didn't want to push any boundaries.

Stiles sat on the bed and patted the space next to him. Derek sat next to Stiles and turned his head to look directly at him.

Derek opened his mouth to speak, but no words came out.

Stiles felt it was his place to take over the conversation.

"So…" he began. Words were escaping him. "Do you just wanna make out?"

Derek's eyes bulged. Was he making a joke?

His internalized question was answered when Stiles said, "I'm not really good with forcing conversation." And he wasn't. Normally when Stiles opened his mouth it was to reply or to fill some awkward silence, but never to initiate a serious conversation.

"We… Uhm… Do you… I mean." Stiles was fumbling over his words. He had been mostly silent all day and now he was expected to have a grown up conversation after all that had happened?

"We don't have to talk about this now if you don't want to." Derek looked away from Stiles and stood up.

Stiles reached for Derek's hand and Derek's head snapped back to looking at Stiles. Stiles pulled Derek back down to the bed.

"I want to talk," started Stiles. "But I don't quite know what to say."

"Well, you said quite a bit in the kitchen." Derek responded.

Derek could smell how nervous Stiles was. Not that he needed to. It was written all over his face.

They both looked down at their hands, still joined.

"I like this." Stiles said.

Derek looked up at Stiles and smiled.

"I don't know what to say, Stiles." Derek was beginning to form conversation, but didn't know how much of it he could start off on. "But I don't think we really need to say much. Especially after our kiss."

The kiss. Stiles loved it. It felt right for them to do it. It felt right.

Derek continued speaking.

"I told you how I felt and I showed you."

"And now let me tell you."

Stiles didn't mean to interrupt, but it just blurted out of him.

Stiles lifted their hands into his lap and turned his body to face Derek.

"I remember the first time we met." he said, recalling their conversation from earlier. "I remember. I was scared of you. You were Derek Hale. And I was this scrawny little guy who you could rip apart with your bare hands. And that was before the werewolf discoveries. But the moment I knew I liked you, really had feelings for you, was when you were inches from my face," Stiles leaned in towards Derek. "And were two seconds from ripping my throat out with your teeth."

Derek laughed. Stiles smiled.

"You mean before the Danny situation?" Derek asked with a half smile.

Stiles nodded.

"I don't know what it was." Stiles said honestly. "Maybe it was your smell. Your breath." Stiles was still inches from Derek's face. "All I knew then, was that I wanted to kiss you."

That's when it clicked in Derek's head.

"You came out a couple months later, right?"

Stiles again, nodded.

"So it was me that…"

"Yeah…" Stiles cheeks turned bright red.

Derek squeezed Stiles hand.

"So what do you think about this?" asked Derek as he leaned in and kissed Stiles' cheek.

Stiles didn't think his cheeks could get any more red, but they did. And he also lost all of his words.

"I… Uh…"

Derek didn't need him to say anything.

He could smell it.

"I'm not going to do anything because then things might happen," Stiles chuckled. "But your last relationship didn't go well and emotions are running kind of high. Are you sure you're not-"

"No matter what the circumstances," Derek interjected. "I know I'll be sure of this."

Stiles phone rang. It was his dad.

Derek looked around Stiles' room as he went out into the hall to answer his dad's call. But that didn't mean he wasn't listening.

"Dad, it's already late. How much later could you be?"

Derek didn't need to concern himself with the sheriff's affairs now that they knew what the hunter was after. But what he did need to concern himself with was Stiles. They kissed. They were together. Stiles was human. And human was in season for this rogue hunter, or hunters if there were a whole clan like the Argents.

Derek looked at Stiles clock.

_11:45_

Derek sighed as Stiles walked in.

"Dad's at work all night." Derek saw a spark in Stiles' eyes. He raised an eyebrow.

_So soon?_ Derek thought.

"No. No." Stiles was panicking. "I didn't mean, uhm." Derek chuckled at how nervous this boy was with Derek around. Not that he could blame him. All of this was new to him as well. It would take a little while for them both to adjust. And that was alright with Derek.

"You can stay if you want." Stiles said. "Not in any sex way, because that's not something anyone is ready for after the day we've had and furthermore I don't think I'll be ready for that for a while and I don't even know how to prepare for that."

Stiles was rambling.

Derek moved swiftly from the bed and had Stiles around the middle and kissed him.

Derek released Stiles and said, "I know what you meant."

They stared into each other's eyes.

This was right.


	10. Taking Aim

Taking Aim

Lydia stood in the forest that night alone.

She knew something was going on with Scott and Jackson, but couldn't quite place what it was. More so, she couldn't put her finger on what was wrong with Jackson. He never really liked Scott. He always viewed him as a rival, especially now that they both were werewolves.

They were up to something. She could feel it.

When the Pack first started to form, Allison took it upon herself to prepare Lydia for battle with wolves as a precaution. She didn't know how many other packs there were out there and it seemed that they didn't need and invitation to kill you, they just did.

It all flashed in her memory as if it were happening right now.

"Keep your shoulder down."

Lydia was becoming frustrated.

"I'm never going to get this." she sighed.

"Lydia." Allison wasn't taking 'no' for an answer. "You've mastered the most complicated math equations for a high school student and you know like three different languages. Not to mention that whole Latin deal that came out of left field."

"That is knowledge," Lydia argued. "Not physical activity."

"This is no different." Allison explained. "But only this knowledge, you learn with your body."

Allison stood behind Lydia and helped her into position. There were three targets about ten yards away. She wanted to start Lydia off easy.

"Now just pull back and release."

The arrow flew with ease and landed directly in the center of the target.

Lydia's jaw dropped. She couldn't believe it.

Here she stood once again. On the very spot Allison had once taught her.

She raised the bow and pulled back the bowstring. Her aim didn't match the targets she had set up. This wasn't a test of how good a shot she was. This was test of how _great_.

Lydia spun twice on the spot and after her second revolution, dropped to her left knee and released the cord. As quickly as she could, she reloaded the bow and spun to the next target swiftly and shot. Her third target was set up high and she shot her bow again.

All three targets were bulls-eye's.

Lydia's ruby red lips cracked a smile.

She was ready.

_Bang._

The gunshot rang through the enclosed portion of the forest.

_Apparently my message wasn't clear enough. _

His thoughts were focused. If one human death wasn't enough for them to take the wolves out on their own then maybe two would suffice.

_Bang._

The second shot brought a smile to the hunter's face.

"Darlin'." a female voice came from behind him. "Why do you keep shootin' at those?" Her southern accent was soft and sweet.

"Because, Candi." he responded.

"You'd figure those wolf types would have been puppy food by now."

"Yeah, you would." his smile faded. "But apparently this pack has proven themselves 'round these here parts. That or the hunters have gone soft. Don't worry. We'll get them." "Good." said Candi. "Then we can move on to killin' all them other wolves for what they did to your poor brother."

"That we can."


	11. The Plan

The Plan

Two days had passed.

Stiles cherished the night that Derek stayed. He needed it. Nightmares plagued him. Death plagued him.

Derek felt he was needed that night. Stiles felt safe with Derek, even if he didn't say it. Just laying in the same bed, next to each other, was enough for Stiles to remain calm. Mostly.

Lydia used her mother's gym for the first time. She needed to be a little more prepared for any type of showdown.

After an exhausting first hunt, Jackson and Scott found them staring at dawn. They planned to pick up here after getting some rest. Each night led them further and further into the forest. Tonight, they would fully shift and make sure they finished the hunt.

After the first night, every pack member slept alone at night, but met at the Stilinksi's shortly after dawn.

The Pack met every day while the sheriff was out. Derek's house may have been released from investigation, but it still didn't hold well for them to be there. And every day they changed.

Everyone saw it.

Everyday Jackson held on tighter to Lydia. Everyday Derek did the same to Stiles, and vice versa. They felt safe together. Scott's heart grew more and more cold with each passing moment. He wanted the hunter gone. Dead. Lydia's wardrobe became more fitting. More kill, less frill. She was silently preparing for the battle with this hunter or hunters.

Their meetings at Stiles' house didn't really entail conversation. It mostly reinforced the idea that they were all still together.

Derek knew that the time was right and that he would collect on his deal with Chris Argent. He would find the hunter tonight.

"You're going after him." Stiles said with worry. "Aren't you?"

"I have to."

"No. You do not." Stiles said. "That's what _hunters_ do. They _hunt._"

"I made a promise, Stiles." Derek was now looking him in the eyes.

"Please don't."

The rest of the Pack was staring at them.

"Stiles is right, Derek." Lydia's voice rang clearest of them all.

"We don't have do worry about the Code right now." Derek explained the deal. Hunt. Not kill. He left out the part where Chris would use the underground passages below the Hale property that once held young wolves before they were ready to control the shift before the fire and that his sister, Kate, once tortured him in to do the same to this hunter.

"How do we know that there aren't other hunter's with this mystery guy?" Jackson asked. "We already know their plan."

"Sort of." said Lydia. "We don't know for sure if that was their plan. All we know is that was the most logical."

They were right with their assumptions. This was what the hunter wanted. Only the hunter didn't know that the Argent's made a deal with the Pack.

"Look." Derek stood up from his seat at the table and looked to each of them. "This is not up for discussion. I'm going to hunt this guy down and deliver him to Chris. And then we can end this once and for all."

_What's Mr. Argent going to do to him?_ Scott thought. He may as well have said what he was thinking out loud because the look was written all over his face.

Derek growled. The growl didn't just indicate that Scott let it go, but that the rest of the Pack drop it as well.

Tonight was the night.

"Tonight."

Derek's text made Chris Argent tense up.

It was time.

Chris' wife entered the room with a tray of coffee and cookies.

He nodded to her and she sighed.

Hopefully this would be all over tonight.

The Argents had all the funeral arrangements planned and confirmed. The funeral would be in two days time.

The hunter prepared his gun. Human hunting was fun if you knew the right buttons to push.

"Are you ready?"

He loaded the last bullet into his gun. He may be human hunting, but he knew he had to be prepared. All he needed was one shot.

One shot and the human boy would be dead.

"I'm ready." he said. "You got the plan down?"

"Yes, baby." Candi stared at him with a devilish grin. "If thin's start gettin' dicey I call the police and they come to the Hale boy or his mutts attackin' you. And then all the hunters will know what they are and come for 'em."

"Good girl." he said as he passed her a crossbow. "And don't forget to run fast with these weapons are the ready. They could come for you if they figure us out."

"Alright."

They left the small cabin that was left abandoned many years ago with their weapons in hand.

The hunt was on.


	12. The Hunt

The Hunt

Derek kissed Stiles goodbye and told him to wait for him and to listen to the police scanner if anything went down and to call to let him know.

Lydia kissed Jackson's forehead as he slept in his bed. She picked her shoes up off the floor and snuck out of the house.

Scott had nobody to say goodbye to except his mother now. And he couldn't even say it. He didn't have to. He was going to make it out of this alive. The hunter was not.

Candi kissed her lover and wished him luck. She waited five minutes and walked in the same direction. She knew this forest well. They had planned this out for a few days before killing the Argent girl.

Thankfully there was only one major clearing near the Hale property. Allison and Lydia had used it for target practice once. Allison marked seven trees with targets that blended well with the trees during the day. This was the first clue that Lydia was a great markswoman.

Another time, Allison hid in the forest and Lydia had to track her. Tracking wasn't her best skill, but it would suffice for now.

She followed the trail that Jackson and Scott found before. But now there was an intersecting trail. A fresh trail. She followed it.

Scott ran, fully shifted, vision red, through the forest. He followed a scent that Derek was following right now. He crossed the trail he and Jackson found days ago. He, himself, was leaving a trail of his own, but it wouldn't matter as long as he found the hunter first.

Jackson smelled Scott.

He followed trail as fast as he could without making too much noise.

He awoke to find Lydia gone and a note that said "Went home. I'm sorry."

He could understand. Times like this weren't easy to handle. And getting close with someone now would be painful. So he let her go. He had business to attend to anyways so this was for the best. What would she have done if she had woke up to find Jackson missing?

Derek had the scent of a woman walking through the forest.

This late and she was walking alone? No. She was hunting, too. What was the purpose?

Stiles was Stiles.

He was human.

A fragile human.

Why was he out in the forest at night?

He wasn't going to be any use to anyone if he were dead. Several moments made it clear to him that he should make his way back home, but he kept going.

Each member of the Pack followed a trail of one form or another and eventually made their way back to the clearing.

On the north end, the hunter waited, perched in a tree. He set scent traps around the clearing so that anyone hunting him would be led here and hopefully give up and leave the forest, leaving time for him to hunt down the human boy that, according to Candi, was also roaming the forest.

_They are just making this too easy._

And they were. Every member of the Pack was here, now, in the forest.

Candi waited orders from her lover on the east end of the clearing.

Scott was the first to appear.

Fully shifted, he entered from the west end. He circled the clearing twice and found heavy patches of the hunter's scent.

Jackson arrived shortly after and met Scott halfway through his third lap through the clearing.

"What are you two doing here?"

They were busted.

They turned and met the red eyes of their Alpha.

The Betas couldn't find words. They just stared at him.

The wind picked up. Standing in the west end brought a scent of a human to their noses.

Derek took off as the hunter took aim.

"Stiles!"

Stiles had entered the clearing from the south-east end and right into the hunter's sights.

_Bang._

The shot echoed through the clearing. The target was Stiles. But the bullet met Derek.

Derek fell. Stiles stared in horror.

Jackson and Scott ran towards their wounded Alpha.

Derek lay bleeding in Stiles lap. He'd been shot in the right shoulder. Three inches to the left and there may not have been anything left to save. Maybe.

Stiles applied as much pressure to Derek's wound as he could. Derek groaned.

"You're gonna be fine." Stiles said.

"AAARRRRRRRGGGHHHHAAAA!"

All four males in the clearing snapped their heads to the north. Derek, with some difficulty.

Scott took off with Jackson, who both shifted back, to discover the source of the noise.

They arrived at the edge of the clearing and found Lydia with a loaded bow pointed at the hunter and his gun was a couple feet away and an arrow in his left thigh.

"Lydia?!" Scott was in just as much shock as Jackson, but spoke first.

Scott helped the hunter up and Jackson took the gun. Lydia never lowered her bow. She was giving this guy no chance to attack anyone ever again.

When the three Pack members returned to their Alpha, he was standing next to Stiles.

Candi saw her lover wounded.

"Hunter!" she yelled as she raised her crossbow.

"A hunter named Hunter?" Stiles asked jokingly. "What's that about?"

Derek heard the click of the crossbow.

He jumped in front of it before it hit Stiles.

Derek's sudden movement startled everyone except Hunter, who fell into Jackson and retrieved his gun.

Hunter raised his gun and took aim at Stiles. His finger made it to the trigger by the time Lydia shot her bow once more. The arrow found a home in the forearm of his supporting arm and he dropped the gun.

Scott took off after Candi and brought her back.

"Hey!"

The voice boomed, startling everyone.

A light blocked out the face of the man shouting.

The light met Hunter, who had two arrows in him. Jackson, who was shielding Lydia. Scott, who had hold of Candi. And Stiles, who was cradling the arrow-stricken Derek.

The voice belonged to Sheriff Stilinksi.


	13. Aftermath

Aftermath

Sheriff Stilinski held his light on Derek and Stiles. Derek tried getting up, but with an arrow through his shoulder, it wasn't a painless task.

"Ow." he said.

"Derek," Stiles began. "Just… Stay."

The light still shone on the duo.

"Dad, you know Derek." Stiles let out a nervous chuckle.

"Stiles, what the hell is going on?"

Stiles remained silent.

Candi started freaking out.

"They attacked us! Please help!"

Before the Sheriff could blink, Lydia had her bow pointed directly at Candi's throat.

"Speak again," she threatened. "And it will be your last."

Sheriff Stilinski reached for his gun.

"Dad!" Stiles yelled.

"Stiles, be quiet."

"Look," Stiles said. "These two are responsible for Allison's death."

"How do you know?"

This was the question nobody had prepared for. They all fell silent.

"Well?" the sheriff urged.

"Can't you just trust us, Mr. Stilinksi?" Scott said.

"Here's the gun, sir." Jackson picked up the gun slowly and walked over to the sheriff. "The bullet came from this gun."

The sheriff was skeptical of the entire situation.

Why were all of his son's friends here in the woods, one armed with a bow, and attacking these people?

Why was his son out here?

Why was his son holding Derek Hale?

Derek tried getting up again. This time Stiles helped him to his feet. Derek put his arm around Stiles for support.

"Sir," Derek said. "I know that this may not make sense, but I need you to trust us. There are some things that I cannot explain right now; some things you won't believe. Those things can put you in danger if you knew. We need your trust now."

Maybe it was the tone of Derek's voice. Maybe it was the fact hat his son clung to Derek for some support the same way Derek was clinging to his son to keep him from falling. But for now, he would not ask questions.

Sheriff Stilinski reached for his cuffs and walked over to Candi.

He began reading her her rights as he cuffed her and walked her to the car then called for an ambulance.

Upon his return, Derek was on his knees between Stiles and Lydia, who passed her bow on to Scott to hold.

"This is going to hurt a bit." she said as she snapped the tail off the arrow. Luckily for Derek, the arrow went right through his shoulder so it was easier to remove. "On the count of three? One." Lydia pulled as hard as she could on the arrow-headed end and pulled the arrow clean through.

Derek groaned, "I knew you'd do that."

"There's an ambulance coming." said the sheriff. "You can get looked after when it comes for him." "That won't be necessary, sir." Derek said politely.

Derek looked at Stiles father with a concerned look. This was one of the things he shouldn't be asking.

The sheriff explained that Lydia would need to stay because she shot Hunter to protect Stiles.

Another light shone through the darkness.

"What's the problem?" It was Chris Argent.

"Sorry for the delay." Derek said. "And sorry that you don't get him."

Chris looked at the man lying on the ground. The two arrows in him told him that he didn't get away with anything tonight.

"No problem. He's got more coming to him anyways." Chris' tone was cool and calm.

"You know what happened here?" Sheriff Stilinksi asked.

Chris nodded.

"Lydia, dear." Chris reached out his hand. She took her bow from Scott and handed it to Chris.

"Thank you."

Why he was thanking her, she didn't know, but she smiled and nodded as though she did.

"Here's what's going to happen." Chris had already formed a plan. "You kids leave. Except Stiles and Jackson."

"Why us?" Jackson asked.

"Yeah," Stiles agreed with his question. "We're the least likely to be out here." "And that's why you need to be here." Chris responded. "They'll dismiss you."

"No." Sheriff Stilinski wasn't having any of this. "All of you, go home. Except you, Mr. Argent."

Everyone's mouths were open.

"I'll say we got the call from the girl and you showed up after me. You have a police scanner at your house that you borrowed from my son." He looked to Stiles, signaling to get it to the Argents immediately. "I heard gunfire and went to investigate. You followed with that bow and took down the assailant."

"What about her?" Scott asked.

Candi was now flailing herself around the back of the police car, screaming about werewolves.

"She's pretty much taken care of, don't you think?" A smile broke across Chris' face. "Now, go."

Derek and Stiles took off to the Hale home for Derek to rest while Scott, Jackson and Lydia went to the Stilinksi's to remove the police scanner to take to the Argents and explain everything that had happened.

The smile on Chris' face faded as he turned back to Hunter.

This wasn't over.


	14. Wherever I Go

Wherever I Go

It had been two nights since their showdown with Hunter and Candi. Two nights of pseudo-peace. For the Pack, there was one more bridge to cross before they could mourn.

It had been five days since Allison was shot. And in those five days, they hadn't had time to mourn the loss of their friend, their sister. Maybe after tomorrow morning, they would get closure.

Stiles showed up in the middle of the night to Derek's.

"Can I come in?"

Derek moved from the door way and allowed him to enter.

Stiles dropped his back pack near the door. Derek eyed it.

_Stiles has a bag._

"Okay, look." Stiles started speaking. He had a speech prepared. "We… I… You…"

His words were escaping him.

Stiles took a deep breath and looked into Derek's eyes.

"Tomorrow's the funeral." Derek knew. Why was he telling him? "Whatever this is, I don't want it to end after… After…" Stiles' eyes began to water.

Derek was at a loss. He walked over to Stiles.

"What's wrong, Stiles?"

"We never really talked about what this is." Stiles said through tear-filled eyes.

"We talked." Derek corrected.

"I didn't get to say what I wanted."

"There was more?" Derek didn't understand. He thought they said everything they needed to.

"Actually, no." Stiles shook his head. "This was a mistake. I should go." Stiles ran to the door and raced to his jeep.

Derek looked in awe at the boy he fell for running away from him. Derek looked down and saw Stiles' back pack sitting next to the door.

The drive to Stiles' house wasn't easy.

Was the sheriff home?

Was he going to ask questions?

These and other questions raced through his mind as he pulled into the driveway. The sheriff's police cruiser was sitting in the driveway. He took a deep breath before grabbing the bag and walking to the house.

Derek knocked.

"Stiles, get the door."

Looks like the his dad wasn't sleeping either.

Stiles opened the door, his eyes puffy and red.

"Ugh, no." Stiles wasn't ready to face Derek.

"You forgot a couple things." Derek said.

"All I brought was my bag." Stiles said.

"That, yes." Derek confirmed. "And me."

Stiles didn't know what to say.

"I'm sorry."

"Don't be." Derek's tone calmed Stiles. "I understand. Can we go in and talk?"

Stiles opened the door and let Derek in.

After closing the door, Stiles told his dad that Derek was there and they needed to talk.

"Don't forget we're not finished either."

"I know, dad. Thanks."

Stiles returned and led Derek upstairs.

"I hope you're not in trouble with your dad." Derek said.

"No." Stiles responded. "We were talking about… You.

"Me?" Derek asked.

"Us."

So there was still and "us". He hoped that anyways.

"Okay," Stiles said. "What do you want to talk about?"

His voice cracked. He wasn't sure that there was much to say.

"We already talked." Derek said. "Before. Downstairs. You said you didn't get to say all you wanted. Say it. Now."

Stiles knew this wasn't a full command. But he needed to know.

The two men stood feet from each other.

Stiles stepped closer to Derek. "Here's the thing. I like you. A lot. I feel safer with you. So much more safe than anything else has made me feel. And when you got shot and were in my kitchen, I felt things falling apart. Even more so than they already were. I don't know what it all means right now, but I know that it means something, right?"

"Stiles, stop."

Stiles halted his ramblings. His feelings from earlier came back. He didn't want to put himself out there anymore.

"Stiles." Derek took a step closer. There were mere feet between them. "I don't know what gave you the impression that this was going to end. But it's not something that I want to end." He took another step. "I want to be with you, Stiles. For as long as I can. I want you to be with me. Wherever I go."

Stiles was frozen. Time slowed. The words Derek had just said echoed through his head.

"How does that sound?"

"Perfect."

Jackson wanted tonight to be special. As special as possible.

He had called a family friend for a favor and got a candlelight dinner for two delivered mere minutes before Lydia arrived.

"Hurry, you have to go." Jackson ordered to the caterers. "Thank you."

Jackson had everything planned. The caterer's left and three minutes later, Lydia pulled in the driveway.

"Right on time."

Lydia made her way to the door and the door opened, revealing Jackson in a suit and tie.

"My lady." Jackson said.

_Such a gentleman_. Lydia thought.

She took the arm he held out for.

"May I take your coat?" he asked.

"Of course." Lydia said with a smile.

This was the nicest he'd been in a long time.

Jackson hung her coat in the closed near the door and proceeded to walk her to the kitchen.

Lydia's eye's grew large at the sight of the candles and the beautiful meal Jackson laid out.

"Jackson!" she was at a loss for words. This was the sweetest thing that he could have done.

Jackson didn't need words. Her smile said it all.

He pulled Lydia's chair out for her and she sat as he pushed her in. The place settings had the food already prepared on each dish. All of it laid out on the table.

"What's the occasion, might I ask?" Lydia asked as Jackson took his seat.

"Well, I was hoping to wait until after dinner for my speech, but I guess now is good."

"Speech?" she asked.

"If that's what we want to call it."

"What do you mean?" Lydia was confused.

"Right now, Derek and Stiles are doing whatever it is two guys do when they first get together." Jackson knew they might be talking, but there might be more and it wasn't something he wanted to think about. His best friend Danny was gay and sometimes he asked Jackson general dating advice or shared a basic non-sex story with him, so he had a clue as to what went on.

"But Scott…" Jackson continued. "He's alone. We all lost Allison, but he lost half of himself. Stiles and Derek, they're finding theirs. But I've already found mine. And I don't want to lose her. Ever. Wherever I am, wherever I go, I want you there."

Lydia's eyes started to puff up.

"This isn't a proposal," he said as he reached into his pocket. "But this is a promise. That from now on, we are one."

He opened the box to reveal a beautiful ring.

"And before you get the wrong idea, I didn't go out and buy the most expensive ring with my parents money. Well, not all of their money. They agreed a while ago that they would give me money to match whatever it is I made to help buy this ring."

"Jackson." Lydia stopped his speech. "I don't care if you spent ten dollars or ten thousand dollars on a silly ring. This dinner, this… Effort." She sighed. "The effort you've made in planning all of this means so much more to me than you can ever imagine, especially now."

Lydia had learned that there was a time for girly things. A time for innocence. Since joining the Pack, most of the times to be innocent had left. And now it was time to face being a grown up.

Lydia's current silence made it clear that Jackson was allowed to speak again.

He took the ring out of the box and held out his hand, asking for hers.

"Wherever I go?" he asked.

"Wherever you go."

Jackson slipped the ring on her finger and leaned up to give her a kiss.

"Let's get to dinner before it get's cold." Lydia said.

"Absolutely." Jackson sat across from Lydia and the two smiled.


	15. Funeral

Funeral

Derek woke up to find Stiles gone.

The door was open and he heard Stiles and his father downstairs.

"Dad, we didn't do anything."

"I want to believe you, but how can I knowing you were traipsing around the forest in the middle of the night. Here."

A box in a plastic bag was placed on the counter in front of Stiles roughly.

"Awww, dad. Come on." Stiles was blushing. "This is embarrassing."

"I just want you to be safe."

"Yeah, okay. But condoms? Now?"

Mr. Stilinski's mind was made up.

"If he's going to stay here, or you're staying there, you're taking these."

"Fine, dad, alright. You win." Stiles was thoroughly embarrassed that his father bought him condoms.

Stiles headed upstairs.

Derek had a smile on his face when Stiles entered.

"Not funny."

"Kind of funny." Derek looked over to Stiles desk. There were some of Derek's clothes neatly folded on it.

"I…" Stiles had snuck out of the house shortly after dawn to go retrieve some clothes for Derek for the funeral. "These were the nicest you had. I hope they're okay."

Derek examined his clothes. They were indeed his best.

"Thanks." Derek said, kissing Stiles' forehead.

Stiles directed Derek to the shower and began getting ready. Stiles had already showered after returning home and shortly before his father bombarded him with condoms.

Derek returned all dressed for the funeral. He wore black khaki's and white button down shirt with a tie.

"Wow." Stiles said.

"Wow, to you, too." Stiles was wearing a similar outfit.

"Uh, boys."

Stiles' father stood in the doorway of Stiles' room.

"It's time."

Derek turned and nodded his head to the sheriff who was wearing his badge and uniform before he went downstairs.

Derek extended his arm to Stiles and Stiles took his hand and was pulled close to Derek.

"It's going to be okay."

"I hope so." Stiles responded.

Scott stood in front of his bathroom mirror, dressed in his best clothes, staring. They were the same clothes he wore to the dance where Allison met the wolf within.

Today was the day.

The day that he had to bury his love.

He stood reflecting, not just himself, but on the moments he had shared with Allison.

Their first kiss.

Their first date.

Their first time.

_Don't let me go._

Her words still rang in his head as if she were speaking them now, right in front of him.

There was a knock on his bedroom door.

"Scott, honey." It was his mom. "It's time, sweetie."

Scott waved her away and she waited in the car for him.

_Don't let me go._ The words were getting louder, echoing with each passing moment.

_Please, Scott. Don't let me go. _

Scott punched his mirror. Hundreds of shards littered his sink and floor.

"I won't."

Jackson and Lydia were the first to the church parking lot. Scott and his mother arrived shortly after. The Argent's car was parked at the far end of the lot, but they were nowhere to be found.

Nobody exited their vehicles.

They were doing this together or not at all.

Other mourners arrived and gathered around the parking lot, waiting for the church doors to open.

Sheriff Stilinksi pulled up with Stiles in the passenger seat. Derek was in the back. Derek in the back of his police cruiser gave the sheriff a sense of satisfaction, but now was not the time to express it.

Scott exited his mom's car as Jackson opened Lydia's door and Stiles opened Derek's. Derek's door was locked and he couldn't get out from the inside.

Lydia took Jackson's hand and clung tight. Stiles and Derek looked at the two and back to each other.

Stiles coughed.

Lydia looked to the newly formed couple and understanding Stiles hint, released Jackson's hand.

This wasn't a couples affair. This was a Pack affair. They weren't walking in as two couples and Scott. They were walking in as a family.

Stiles patted Derek on the back before taking his place next to Scott.

"You ready?"

That was a stupid question. He'd never be ready to bury the woman he loved. Not ever. But Scott started walking. Stiles quickly followed, keeping pace with his best friend.

Lydia, Jackson and Derek followed the duo up to the church where people were beginning to enter.

Mr. Argent stood at the door, "welcoming" them into the church. Welcome was not the word he wanted to use. But it was all he had.

Mrs. Argent was inside, seating family and friends into the proper mourning areas.

As much as she hated it, the Pack was family. Not to her, but to Allison.

The Pack was directed to the second pew. The first was saved for she and her husband alone.

Scott sat in the middle of the row. Stiles took his place to his right and Lydia on his left with Derek next to her and Jackson next to Stiles.

Scott stared at the open casket.

It was a symbol. Subtle, but he knew it. Open caskets were for remembering the person within. To show the world what had been lost. But to the Argents and to the Pack, it was a symbol of the cost of war.

Everyone soon was seated and the reverend of the church took his place at his podium.

It was starting.

The arrangement of the services allowed for only family to be pole bearers. Chris agreed to allow Scott to be one. He may not have been family, but he was Allison's love. She stood by him through everything and he was to be respected in her eyes. It would have been disrespectful to treat him otherwise.

Scott walked down the steps with red, puffy, watery eyes.

He was carrying his lover's dead body in a box, soon to be placed in the back of the hearse, then into the ground.

He was supposed to be her forever. Not that.

Mourners surrounded the Argents as they lowered her casket into the ground.

The Argents each grabbed a handful of dirt and tossed it in the grave. Mr. Argent walked over and motioned for Scott to do the same. Each person allowed to do so held a rose to lay onto the head stone. Lydia followed Scott, then Jackson, Stiles, and finally Derek.

Today was not a day for discrimination.

The Pack was her family as well.

Tomorrow, they would become strangers to the Argents once more.

One by one, people left the freshly covered grave.

The Argents and members of the Pack were all that remained. Scott and Stiles' parents were waiting in their cars at the edge of the cemetery.

Scott stared at the headstone.

Allison Argent

Beloved Daughter and Friend

The sun had set and both parties hadn't moved.

"Scott," his mother's voice was soft to his ears. "I think we should go, honey."

Without argument, Scott looked up to the Argents, who were watching him.

"I'm sorry." he said before turning to leave with his mother.

The Pack each gave their own condolences in their own ways to Mr. and Mrs. Argent before leaving.

As the Pack all filed into their vehicles, the Argent's watched on.

The final tail light faded and a man stepped up to the grave with a rose of his own.

"Thought they'd never leave."

"You know the deal why are you here?" Mrs. Argent asked venomously.

"Now, now, Victoria." he said slyly. "You know me better than that, of course."

She did know him better than that. She knew him better than she wished she did.

"Can you take care of him or not?" Chris asked.

The man nodded.

"Then go and be gone." Victoria wanted this man gone. But he was the only one who could exact a clean revenge.


	16. Remember Me

9

Scott had waited a few days after receiving the call to come over to the Argent residence. He didn't want to deal with the Argents right now. It would remind him of Allison. Not that that made any difference, because everything reminded him of her. He even went so far as to rearrange everything in his room to change what was to help him forget.

But all the memories remained the same as before he moved his furniture.

Scott knocked on the door and was greeted by Allison's mother.

"Hi, Mrs. Argent."

"Hello, Scott." she responded. "Please. Come in." Scott walked into the house and followed her to the kitchen where her husband sat with a box at the kitchen table.

Chris stood up and greeted Scott with a "hello" and then looked at the box.

"This was up underneath Allison's bed." he said pointing to the box. "There were some things in it she wanted you to have." "How do you know what she wanted?"

True, in the past Allison had rebelled from her family quite a bit, including their wishes for her to stay away from Scott after discovering he was a werewolf and to join the family as a hunter.

"There was a letter for us." Chris said. "And there was one for you."

Scott had so many questions.

Why were there letters?

How did she know she would need them?

Chris handed the letter to Scott. It smelled like Allison.

"We didn't open it." Victoria said.

Scott would know if they did once he opened it himself. Their scent would be all over it and he would know if it was Allison's handwriting or not.

Chris then passed Scott the box.

"What's left inside is what she wanted you to have." said Chris.

Scott picked up the box, said his thanks for being informed and left.

Scott was supposed to meet the rest of the Pack at Stiles' house. It was the new Pack meeting place. Derek had only been home if he absolutely needed to go, even after having the window fixed and the floor replaced. Stiles' father was not pleased with the amount of time he spent at the house, but it was time that he got to know Derek. Minus the second person on his case about healthy foods, Derek was beginning to feel welcome. And he was.

Scott pulled into the drive way and looked to the letter on the passenger seat. He picked it up and exited the car. Instead of going to the door, Scott ran to the forest behind the house.

After running for ten minutes, he found himself facing the sunset at the edge of the Beacon Hills Preserve Cliffside.

With just enough light left, Scott opened the letter and began to read.

_Dear Scott,_

_I know that if you're reading this, that something bad has happened to me. What, I do not know, but it gave my parents enough reason to go through my things and find the box that I hope is now in your possession._

_Inside are a few things that I want you to have in case anything tragic ever happened, whether I get better or not, they're yours._

Scott didn't even look inside the box. He only brought the letter.

_It's important that you know that I love you. With all my heart._

_My parents have given me strict orders to stay away from you and a heavy suggestion to join them in hunting wolves. I told them I would think about it._

_In writing this letter I have made my decision._

_You. I choose you._

_No matter what happens between me and my family, I need you to know that my choice is always going to be you. I love you, Scott. You are the most important thing in my life and I don't ever want that to change. I hope you feel the same, too._

_This letter is very difficult to write because I feel that I'm writing my will or preparing for my death._

_If you are reading this as a result of my death, I'm certain I died to protect you or the Pack. You are my family now just as much as my parents. And if, in fact, I am gone, I want you to remember me. I want all of the Pack to remember me. Always._

_Please don't dwell on the past. We both know where that leads. I want you to be happy, even if it's not with me. I need you to be. _

_I love you._

_Tell everyone I love them, too._

_Your Love Always,_

_Allison_

Scott's hands were shaking and his eyes burning amber.

He wasn't in full control anymore.

The wolf had taken over.

But the wolf no longer wanted revenge.

It wanted to mourn.

Scott let out a deep, guttural howl.

The howl echoed through most of the forest and just far enough to reach the Stilinski's, where the rest of the Pack were waiting.

Stiles and Lydia looked to the wolves for an answer to what the faint sound was, but Derek and Jackson heard it loud and clear.

It wasn't the howl of an animal.

It was the howl of a broken heart.


	17. Out with a Bang

Out with a Bang

The prisoner transport van had arrived.

"Let's go." Sheriff Stilinski had cuffs in his hands

Hunter stood in his cell and turned around, hands behind his back.

"You're being transferred to the county prison." said the sheriff. "Looks like you've been a busy fella."

And he was. He had used the trick of killing one to start a war between hunters and werewolves in other states.

Candi would be kept in Beacon Hills for trial as she was only an accomplice to Allison's murder.

Sheriff Stilinski walked Hunter past the front desk and sat him on the bench near the door while they finished signing the paper work for the county sheriff.

Today was the day that the Argent's troubles would end.

All that would be left is mourning.

Once he finished his task, that's all that would remain.

His rifle was at the ready.

He had one shot.

That was all he needed.

He was a Ghost.

"How's it going, Stilinksi?"

"Pretty good." he responded. "How's things over at county?"

The county sheriff twirled the end of his mustache. "Interesting to say the least. Not as interesting as that little lady you've got your hands on talking about werewolves."

The second sentence skipped over Sheriff Stilinksi's head as he was focused on the county sheriff playing with his mustache.

The phone rang.

"Beacon Hills Police Department. Sheriff Stilinski."

He hung up the phone soon after and stood.

"Let's get him in the van." he said.

"Well that was quick."

Sheriff Stilinski agreed. It usually took an hour for the paperwork to arrive and clear with the county office before they called.

The two sheriffs escorted Hunter outside and towards the van.

He took aim.

If anyone caught him, he had friends in high places and the Argents paid a heavy sum to get him to do the job.

His target walked down the steps of the police department with two uniformed men on either side.

The target stood still before the van as the man on his left unlocked the door.

His finger met the trigger of his gun.

This was it.

It was would be over without a fight.

And you can't fight a Ghost.

The town and county sheriffs walked Hunter out of the police station and towards the van.

The county sheriff was unlocking the door when it happened.

_Bang._

Hunter was dead and the Ghost that killed him would disappear.


End file.
